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There are many types of mistakes doctors can make that can cause a patient harm, but medication errors are some of the most common. These can include not only giving the patient the wrong type of medication, but also overprescribing certain drugs. The Oklahoma Medical Malpractice Lawyers with J. Colbert Injury Lawyers explain one doctor in the state is now facing criminal charges in connection to allegations he prescribed excessive amounts of dangerous painkillers to some patients, which ultimately led to the deaths of eight individuals.

According to a story from KLTV 7 News, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics stated the doctor did not accept any forms of insurance from patients and that he prescribed more than 3.5 million pills to patients within a one-year time frame. Three patients died the day after receiving their prescriptions and another died after causing a traffic collision that claimed another motorist’s life as well.

The doctor surrendered his license to practice medicine in the state of Oklahoma on December 13, after facing accusations of unethical behavior and negligence in connection to the deaths of his patients. He was then arrested last Friday at a Kilgore, Texas, residence on nine counts of homicide.

J. Colbert and his team of Oklahoma Personal Injury Lawyers recognize the dangers a medication error can pose and encourage anyone who has been harmed by a drug prescribed by a doctor to discuss their legal options with a qualified attorney immediately.

The law requires all medical doctors to follow certain standards and procedures to protect the health and safety of their patients. Failure to these standards that results in a patient death or injury could lead to the doctor, facilities, and staff being held liable.

The Oklahoma Medical Malpractice Lawyers with J. Colbert Injury Lawyers explain one such case came to light in Oklahoma after health officials determined a dentist and his practice were responsible for spreading infectious diseases, including Hepatitis C, amongst patients.

According to an article from the University Herald, an investigation into the dental practice discovered the doctor had used rusty, unsanitary equipment to perform procedures on patients. Furthermore, staff was found to be reusing needles on patients. These practices led to the first cases of patient-to-patient transmission of Hepatitis C in the nation.

Officials prompted more than 4,200 of the doctor’s former patients to undergo testing for disease. The results determined 89 patients had tested positive for Hepatitis C, five for Hepatitis B, and four for HIV/AIDS.

Since then, the doctor’s practice has been shut down. He is also facing criminal as well as civil litigation in the future. Five former patients have already filed lawsuits claiming the negligence and actions of the doctor and his staff were directly responsible for their conditions.

The Oklahoma Medical Malpractice Lawyers with J. Colbert Injury Lawyers explain the laws overseeing civil action against doctors or medical facilities due to negligence can be complex. Changes to the way these claims navigate through the court system came yesterday, with the closing of a special legislative session.

According to an article from KFOR 4 News, a total of 25 changes were made to the law to deal with a bill passed in 2009 that was later found to be unconstitutional. Legislators say they are enacting reforms in an effort to reduce the number of frivolous medical malpractice claims.

A total of 24 of the bills that passed corrected issues with the Oklahoma single subject rule, while the twenty-fifth dealt with certificate merit requirement issues. A certificate of merit requires an expert testify whether or not a claim of negligence is legitimate. The Supreme Court has twice ruled such laws should be removed from the books.

Twenty-one of the bills passed with emergency clauses, allowing them to become law as soon as the governor signs them. The remaining four bills that did not receive emergency clauses will go into effect 90 days after being signed.

J. Colbert Injury Lawyers’ team of Oklahoma Personal Injury Lawyers recognizes how complicated medical malpractice claims can be. That’s why the firm urges anyone who has been harmed while under a medical professional’s care discuss their legal rights with an attorney.

A dentist, who has faced allegations of Oklahoma Medical Malpractice in the past, may be held criminally liable for exposing thousands of patients to deadly diseases.

When Tulsa County Health Inspectors examined the office of the doctor, they found he was not following standards for infection control. They determined the doctor had potentially exposed approximately 7,000 patients to diseases like Hepatitis and HIV.

According to Oklahoma’s 9 News, letters have been sent to patients explaining the situation and urging them to be tested for the diseases. However, no action has been brought against the doctor. Susan Rogers, head of the Oklahoma Board of Dentistry stated she has met with Tulsa County District Attorney, Tim Harris, about pressing charges against the doctor.

Officials say the incident shows how important it is for patients to be aware of the standards for infection control established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Patients should also be comfortable asking their dentist questions about the care and procedures they are receiving.

A local dentist, Dr. C. Todd Bridges, explained most doctors are proud of the precautions they take to keep patients safe and should be more than happy to discuss safety protocols with patients.

The Oklahoma Personal Injury Attorneys with J. Colbert Injury Lawyers say doctors have a responsibility to protect patient safety. The firm may be able to help if you have been harmed while under the care of a physician.

A case recently heard by the United States District Court of Oklahoma examined the types of coverage provided by certain Oklahoma Medical Malpractice liability policies.

Court documents from the case of Admiral Ins. Co. v. Thomasshow that a liability coverage policy was purchased through a broker in 2009 to cover the practice of a gynecologist in Oklahoma. The policy stated it would cover “medical incidents” that would arise from the doctor’s practice of “gynecology and major surgery”.

When a family sued the doctor for medical malpractice following the botched delivery of a baby, the insurer denied the claim on the grounds that the incident occurred outside the doctor’s field of practice. The insurer went on to explain the delivery of a child is defined as obstetrics, not gynecology.

The doctor claimed he had asked his broker to include coverage for Obstetrics in the policy. However, the broker did not convey the message to the insurer, forcing the court to rule in favor of the insurer.

The Oklahoma Personal Injury Lawyers with J. Colbert Injury Lawyers know how emotionally and financially difficult medical mistakes can be. That is why the firm would encourage anyone who has been harmed while under the care of a physician to discuss your legal rights with an attorney immediately.

Last week, the 10th US Circuit Court of Appeals reached a consensus to uphold a Tulsa hospital’s decision to suspend a doctor’s medical privileges following two botched surgeries.

The Muskogee Phoenix reports that in June 2003, the doctor performed surgeries on two separate patients with advanced-stage lung cancer at St. John’s Medical Center in an attempt to remove tumor growths. One of the patients died a few days following the surgery, and the other was left permanently disfigured.

The hospital launched an investigation and concluded “there was an inadequate workup” before the procedures. St. John’s subsequently pulled the doctor’s medical privileges. In response, the doctor filed a lawsuit against the hospital and demanded a hearing.

Attorneys for the doctor argued that a 30 year career with no claims of Oklahoma medical malpractice should outweigh the negative outcomes of the two surgeries in question. However, U.S. District Judge Thomas R. Brett agreed with the hospital’s decision and dismissed the suit.

The Oklahoma Personal Injury Attorneys with J. Colbert Injury Lawyers believe that doctors have a responsibility to protect a patient’s well-being at all times and would encourage anyone who has suffered an injury during the course of medical treatment to discuss their case with a qualified attorney.

There are many people who believe colon cleansing procedures are the key to better overall health, preventing cancer and providing a number of health benefits to a patient, including:

removing bodily toxins,

promoting growth of healthy intestinal bacteria,

boosting energy,

and enhancing you immune system.

However, a recent study has shown that the procedure may be more dangerous than beneficial.

According to Oklahoma’s 9 News, research from Georgetown University has shown the procedure offers no health benefits and can be very dangerous. The results, which were published in The Journal of Family Practice, concluded that the procedure resulted in patients suffering a number of side effects ranging from cramping to kidney failure.

In other cases, more serious side effects were reported and include:

colon and/or rectal perforation,

sepsis,

and death.

Many of these injuries can leave patients requiring the use of a colostomy bag for the rest of their lives.

Despite the dangers of this procedure, experts say that poorly trained individuals are still conducting the procedures, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has no authority to oversee the products used.

The Oklahoma Medical Malpractice Attorneys with J. Colbert Injury Lawyers hope that understanding and educating the public about Colon Cleansing Dangers will help to persuade people that colon cleansing is an unnecessary procedure that they should stay away from. If you know someone who is considering the procedure, ask them to consider otherwise.

MedPage Today says that a new British study concluded patients who received metal-on-metal (MOM) total hip replacements much more commonly had to undergo revision surgery within five years due to complications and/or problems than those with other types of implants.

Researchers with the National Joint Registry of England and Wales collected data from more than 400,000 case files of patients who underwent total hip replacement surgeries between the years of 2003 and 2011. Of those cases, 31,171 involved metal on metal replacements.

Results showed that MOM hip replacements had a 6.2 percent cumulative risk of revision within five years, versus 3.3 percent for ceramic-on-ceramic and 1.8 percent for metal-on-polyethylene devices.

Women, especially younger women, with MOM hip replacements tended to be at a higher risk of device malfunction within the five-year time frame as well. Women aged 55-years-old had a 4.8 percent risk of revision versus a 70-year-old woman’s 2.6 percent risk with the same device. Women also tended to be at a greater risk of device malfunction than men.

Problems associated with hip replacement malfunctions include inflammation and infection from particles to ions from metal particles being absorbed into the body.

Thousands of Americans take dietary supplements every day for numerous reasons. Some take them to build more muscle, while others take them for overall health. New research shows, though, that taking these supplements could put users at risk for cardiovascular disease or cancer.

KOCO News reports that a new study published in the Archive of Internal Medicine found that women taking supplements over a long period of time were more at risk for the diseases than those that did not. The women examined in the study were all over the age of fifty, and the strongest links to higher mortality rates were in those taking Iron supplements. Contrary to many other studies in the field, researchers found a decreased risk in mortality for those taking calcium supplements.

Dr. Donald Hensrud of the Mayo Clinic remarked, “Up until now there has been much benefit or risk seen with multivitamins…this [study] raises the question that it might hurt.”

Upon release of the findings, the makers of several multivitamins and dietary supplements fired back saying that the research was biased and it did not prove their products raise a person’s chances of becoming ill.

KTUL News reports that this year’s round of vaccinations include the H1N1 virus along with several other strains of influenza which experts said would be prevalent this year. Most individuals will only require one shot; however, children under the age of 9 who have never been vaccinated will require a follow-up booster four weeks later.

Vaccinations are available at the following Tulsa Health Department locations Monday through Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Fridays 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.:

The vaccinations will cost $25 for those with private health insurance or those who can afford the shot, though it is free to those on Medicare or who meet certain income requirements.

Early last year, CDC experts began recommending that everyone six months or older should begin being vaccinated yearly for the disease, especially children and the elderly, who are particularly prone to the virus.